KECOLLECTIONS, 1827. 9 



stared at me with a frown and told me to go to my 

 work pointing with his hand to a certain hothouse ; 

 " there you will find that large plant in a tub, that has 

 leaves the shape of a gardener 1 8 trowel /".... was not 

 that description a philosophic circumlocution to avoid 

 telling me the name of it ? Inwardly in my sleeves 

 I laughed, for 1 knew the plant and its name. So, as I 

 was in contact with philosophers, I durst, I had the 

 temerity to speak with my mouth open and with my 

 heart also. I humbly replied : " I do not know ex- 

 actly if I understand rightly ; your description is some- 

 what novel to me and very picturesque. I think you 

 mean the Strelitzia reginse ! " " Who told you that, 

 Mr. TJie Doctor f " he responded, with a sneer that had 

 a heinous look. From that I had won the sympathy 

 of that charming man. Truly, there was no love lost 

 between us. I liberally reciprocated his sentiments to- 

 ward me. I had been recommended to him by one of 

 his acquaintances to whom I think he was under obli- 

 gations, and he did not like to say he did not want me, 

 for he was looking for a man. I thought that he 

 hated me the first time he spoke to me. 



When I went in that place I had some Local expres- 

 sions that were not very exactly the purest French, and 

 I knew it ; but the habit was sticking to me. How- 

 ever, I soon got rid of them quicker than he had 



